Swelling agents used in conjunction with reducing agents in proteinaceous textile setting process



Nov. 3, 1970 u. M. cEDNAs ETAL 3,537,809 SWELLING AGENTS USED INCONJUNCTION WITH REDUCING AGENTS IN PROTEINACEOUS TEXTILESETTING'PROCESS Filed Dec. 30, 1964 INVENTORS EBBA MARIANNE KARRHOLMUll3 l A MARGAFQETA CEDNAS United States Patent 3,537,809 SWELLINGAGENTS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH REDUCING AGENTS IN PROTEINA- CEOUSTEXTILE SETTING PROCESS Ulla Margareta Cednfis, Molndal, and EbbaMarianne Kiirrholm, Gothenburg, Sweden, assignors to Stiftelsen SvenskTextilforskning, a foundation of Sweden Filed Dec. 30, 1964, Ser. No.422,311 Claims priority, application Sweden, Jan. 8, 1964 183/64 Int.Cl. D06m 3/06, 3/10 US. Cl. 8-127.6

2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The term setting a fabric is to beunderstood as a process of releasing the internal stresses in thematerial and thereby to stabilize goods in their desired shape ordimension. According to the invention, a substantially permanent settingof the fabric is obtained. After its setting, the fabric is stable towetting, and the mechanical properties of the fibers do not changeappreciably. The 3 cloth or yarns are set in a desired shape which maybe smooth or creased, said shape then being the state of equilibrium ofthe goods desired to be maintained, since the threads in the fabric areset in their wavy state and the internal stresses are balanced. Fabricwhich is treated in smooth state according to the invention maintainsthe smooth state even after weaving. After the treatment, an improvementwith respect to dry, and particularly wet wrinkling can be observed.

The method of setting yarn and fabric of wool or material chemicallysimilar in nature according to the invention is generally characterizedin that the material (FIG. 1) is treated with chemicals swelling thefibers (FIG. 2) in the material, the said chemicals being in a state ofsolution, such as an aqueous solution, whereafter the textile materialis deswelled. During the deswelling, the fiber dimension (FIG. 3)reverts to the initial phase. The material is treated with chemicalsbreaking the secondary valences, such as hydrogen bonds, together withreducing agents for breaking cystine bridges, said agents breaking theprimary valences, and thereby increasing the weight of the goods byabout 40 to 400% whereafter the material is deswelled by rinsing with asolvent, so that bridges are rebuilt in the form of both hydrogen bondsand covalent bonds. The deswelling solution may, in addition, containchemicals facilitating the bridge building, such as hydrogen dona-tors,which results in a setting resistant to renewed water treatment, forexample washlng.

In a special embodiment of the invention the textile material,subsequent to its treatment with the swelling chemicals is treated bymechanical means to form, for example, pleats, plaits, embossings, forinstance by milling, stretching, folding, mangling, embossing, the saiddeformations being set during the deswelling step. As a result thereof,for example, a tighter and more compact weave structure, elasticstretchability in the warp and/or wet direction, permanent gloss andpermanent patterns are obtained.

The swelling chemicals are preferably urea and reducing agent, forexample bisulfite or sulfite in aqueous solution, or in aqueous solutionmixed with organic solvent, or guanidine and bisulfite, or sulfite inaqueous solution or in aqueous solution mixed with organic solvent, ormonoacetanolaminesulfite in high concentration in aqueous solution orsodiumor ammonium thiocyanate and bisulfite or sulfite in aqueoussolution or reducing agent, such as bisulfite, sulfite or thioglycolate,in aqueous solution mixed with organic solvent, the fabric being treatedwith the swelling solution during all of the swelling time orimpregnated with the same from about 40% of goods weight and above saidweight whereafter it is stored before the deswelling is carried out. Thewool fabric is subjected to a special treatment with a swelling solutioncontaining 20 to 150 g./l. sodium bisulfite or sulfite in a solvent, or20 to 200 g./l. bisulfite or sulfite in water in combination with 10 to400 g./l. urea in solvent, or 10 to 600 g./l. urea in water at atemperature of 0 to 100 C., specially 10 to 100 C. and at a pH of about3 to 9, a maximum effect being obtained at about pH 7, the treatmentpreferably being carried out at room temperature when the concentrationis 200 to 600 g./l. urea and 20 to 200 g./l. bisulfite or sulfite, andat a temperature of to C. with a concentration of about 100 g./l. urea,the swelling bath preferably having a pH of 3 to 9 and containingpreferably 20 to 200 g./l. bisulfite or sulfite in combination with 10to 600 g./l. specially 50 to 500 g./l. guanidine, sodium thiocyanate orammonium thiocyanate, or containing 50 to 500 g./l.monoethanolaminesulfite and the swelling taking place at 0 to 100 C. Theswelling is carried out for 2 seconds to 24 hours, the swelling periodbeing inversely proportional to the temperature for example about 5seconds at 80 to 100 C., and 2 minutes to 24 hours at room temperature,the solvents which may be used being, for example, ethanol, propanol,isopropylalcohol or dioxan.

The deswelling solutions are preferably water or water mixed with anacid, or water mixed with organic solvent, or water mixed with a reagentincreasing crossbridge rebuilding of the type found in keratine, such asformaldehyde. In this case the deswelling preferably occurs at atemperature of 0 to 100 C. and with water or with water and acid, forexample acetic acid having a concentration from 0.5 percent by weight tosaturation, or with sulphuric acid having a concentration from 0.5percent by weight to saturation, whereafter the fabric may be rinsedwith organic solvents, such as petroleum, trichlorethylene, toluene,glycol or glycerol for driving off the deswelling agents.

According to the invention, the deswelling may also be effected bydrying when the swelling agents are volatile, for example at 0 to 100 C.for 5 seconds to .24 hours.

The invention will be described in the following, reference being madeto the examples for setting woolfabrics. In all cases an excellentsetting was obtained.

The setting effect varies according to the swelling agent,concentration, pH, temperature, swelling bath time and to the rinsingand drying conditions.

The following construction applies to the setting of wool fabrics:Binding: serge, 2/2 twill. Yarn number warp and weft: No. 2/42, twisted4S0 r.p.m. Modulus length of warp: 390 weft: 370p.

200 g. sodium bisulfite and NaOH to pH-=7, (or 50 g. sodium bisulfiteand 50 g. sodium sulfite) and 400 g.

urea per liter water, stored at about 20 C. in rolled or folded statefor 1 hour (or for 15 minutes to hours), rinsed in water, the fabricbeing maintained flat during the first part of the rinsing, and dried.

EXAMPLE 2 W001 fabric is impregnated with setting solution of g. sodiumbisulfite and 15 g. sodium sulfite and 500 g. urea per liter water andtreated according to Example 1.

EXAMPLE 3 W001 fabric is impregnated with setting solution of 400 g.monoethanolaminesulfite (27% $0 per liter water and treated as inExample 1.

EXAMPLE 4 Unwashed wool fabric is treated in a solution of 100 g.monoethanolaminesulfite per liter water for 15 minutes at C. and thenrinsed in water, during the first part of which the fabric must be flat,and dried.

EXAMPLE 5 W001 fabric is treated in setting solution according toExamples 1-5, then rinsed in water containing formaldehyde, during whichrinsing the fabric must be kept flat, and dried.

EXAMPLE 7 W001 fabric is swelled according to Examples 1-5, then rinsedin water or water containing formaldehyde, during which rinsing thefabric is embossed by mechanical means.

EXAMPLE 8 W001 fabric is swelled according to Examples 1-5, then rinsedin water or water containing formaldehyde, the fabric during the stepsof rinsing and drying being over fed both in longitudinal and transversedirection, or being 4 over fed in one direction and stretched intransverse direction. In this way stretch fabric is obtained.

We claim:

1. A method of setting yarn and fabric textile material containing orconsisting of wool or related proteinaceous fibers comprising swellingthe material with a solution in water, methanol, ethanol, propanol ordioxane or a mixture of two or more thereof, containing at least gramsper liter of a hydrogen bond breaking agent selected from urea,guanidine and monoethanolamine and at least 20 grams per liter of awater soluble sulfite or bisulfite at a pH of from about 3 to about 9,deswelling the material in water while maintaining the desired shape anddimension thereof and rinsing the deswelled material with an organicsolvent.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the material is subjected tomechanical shaping during the deswelling treatment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,806,762 9/1957 Ramirez et al8-1275 2,836,185 5/1958 Hervey 8-127.6 2,850,351 9/1958 Moore et al,8--127.6 2,983,569 5/1961 Charle et al 8127.6 X 3,051,544 8/1962 Wolf eta1 8128 3,151,439 10/1964 Dusenbury 8-127.6 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 443,359 2/1936 Great Britain.

968,534 9/1964 Great Britain.

156,139 4/ 1954 Australia.

OTHER REFERENCES Speakman et al.: Journal of the Textile Institute, pp.T627-T628, July, 1958.

GEORGE F. LESMES, Primary Examiner J. CANNON, Assistant Examiner US. Cl.X.R.

